Jason Garrity

[Jason Garrity]

9 minutes ago, arnieg said:

Interesting aside: how do you feel about Tony Clarke? His crimes were against speedway, yet he was back in the Wolverhampton team within days of his release.

Before my time really and don't fully know the details of that particular theft. But whilst I wouldn't equate the gravity of straightforward nicking of bikes with robbing vulnerable people with menaces, I don't think you'd want such people back in the same workplace where there's the opportunity to nick more bikes. I think I previously qualified my views on rehabilitation versus ongoing risk to others involved in the industry.

At the end of the day though - with certain obvious exceptions - I think it needs to be up to individual employers whether they want to employ former criminals. I wouldn't employ someone who'd robbed disabled people unless I was absolutely convinced they were a reformed character, but if you get into blanket bans on former criminals resuming their former (honest) trade for unrelated crimes, where does it stop? And unless you mandate the death penalty for every crime, even former criminals need to make a living otherwise we'll continue to have to pay for them.

[Jason Garrity]

36 minutes ago, Lioness said:

Yip, I agree

I've said to someone who pulled the old 'I have a reliable source so I am right but I wont tell you my source' sort of thing that if you arent willing to name the source then keep schtum.  Its the same for this situation

I didn't see the comment in the light of 'I know something you don't'. I think it's fair for a rider to comment that there's others they'd be more concerned about on track without giving specific names.

36 minutes ago, Lioness said:

As an aside though, it concerns me a little that the drugs side of thing is what is being concentrated on rather than what he did to a vulnerable disabled elderly person in their own home. 

Are these things not linked though?

36 minutes ago, Lioness said:

If you want to get over the narrow minded perception of some of speedway's image, Im not sure granting him his licence back is the way to go about it

As others have said, if it was a convicted felon going back into plumbing or mechanicing, no-one would care less. Speedway is neither important enough nor sufficiently in the public eye that there's any sort of reputational issue involved, and as much scumbag behaviour offends and appalls me, I think once you've done your time you should be able to resume a gainful working career unless the crime was related to your original employment (i.e. child abusers should never be allowed to work with children or vulnerable people).

[Jason Garrity]

2 hours ago, SPEEDY69 said:

Surely the justice system is there to punish those who deserve it.  Once they've served this aren't they then given the chance to resume their place in society or should they continue to be punished for the rest of their lives? (And please don't think I'm condoning his past actions)

The other aspect is they have to be able to take up gainful employment otherwise society will be end-up paying more for them on dole. There's no aspect of the crime being related to speedway, unlike say a convicted child abuser working in a school, so don't really see the issue with working again in speedway. 

Pretty unpleasant and nasty criminal I think we can agree, but hopefully some lessons have been learned and is now a reformed character. As the sentence was over 4 years, I think that's not an automatic halving and requires some sort of good behaviour and approval of the Parole Board for release. And of course will still be out on licence. 

[Transponders]

On 4/6/2024 at 7:44 PM, iainb said:

That makes sense based on heat 5 at Scunny last night where to me at least (and Lambert) it seemed that he got 2nd only for it to be given to Jason Edwards 

Transponders should really be supplemented with an optical timing beam which is broken when the front wheel of the bike crosses the line. There will often some slight difference in the positioning and orientation of each transponder, so they're not infallible when it comes to close finishes. 

Speedway only involves four bikes so you can probably do without the optical beam provided someone is watching the finish line with their own eyes and can overrule the transponder system. Happens all the time and it's perfectly legitimate to adjust transponder times by the odd hundredth of a second where you can clearly judge the result by eye. In fact, we also use a finish line camera so can roll back and review the footage if it's a close finish.

[Transponders]

On 4/6/2024 at 4:27 PM, IanBrannan said:

The sensors are buried under the track, the only thing to see is the transponder itself on the bikes mounted on the handlebars I think 

A co-axial loop will be running under the finish line of the track which is connected back to a decoder (which could be trackside or up in race control). The transponder sends out an magnetic wave with an encoded ID number, which is picked up by the loop through induction as it passes over it, and sent to the decoder which records and timestamps each passing. The decoder passes that to timekeeping software running on a PC, which translates that data into the competitors names, race position and times and can relay that to live timing. 

In fact, you can have multiple loops around a track (often 3 + pit-in/out in car racing) - each connected to a separate decoder - which all send the data back to the timekeeping computer (via a dedicated server that aggregates the data) 

 

[Transponders]

On 4/6/2024 at 11:22 PM, Chris116 said:

How speedway can fail with transponders when many of the tracks run stock cars who have been using transponders for many years with very few problems. System works for 20 plus cars but can't manage 4 bikes. It must be a totally rubbish system or the transponders are fixed too high on the bikes. On the cars they have strict rules about where they are fixed including how high above the track.

Looking at the SCB website, they look to be using the MyLaps TR2 car/bike transponder which is generally reliable and widely used in motorsport. However, they appear to advise to mount them horizontally on the handlebars when in fact they should mounted in an upright orientation as the magnetic wave travels downwards. 

The transponders are also detected by a wiring loop in the track, which is normally no more than 2 or 3 cms under the surface. I'd guess with dirt tracks you need to put them a fair bit deeper as the top surface will gradually wear or be graded away over the course of a meeting and expose the loop (which will then get caught on something).

For motocross it's recommended to put them in a plastic pipe about a 30 cms down, but the maximum recommended range of a MyLaps bike transponder is about 1.2 metres, so if the transponder is not pointed in an optimal position, then I'd imagine this will be beyond the limit of the transponder range and why they're not working reliably. 

It's a problem that should be very easy to identify as the timekeeping system should record the number of transponder hits as it crosses the timing loop in the track. If you're seeing little or no hits, then either the transponders are 1) badly positioned or 2) low on charge (or more rarely faulty), 3) there's a break somewhere in the timing loop, 4) excessive noise on the loop (often due to poor shielding), or 5) the timing loop is simply too far below the surface. My money would be on a combination of 1) and 5). 

[British Riders' Championships]

On 12/11/2023 at 4:49 PM, iris123 said:

Plus wasn't there an English club that won something called the world championship? Was it Bishop Stortford v Juventus or something.... 

A 'Football World Championship' was also intermittently held between the English and Scottish FA Cup winners and latterly the league champions between 1876 and 1904. 

Although I'm not a fan of retrospectively changing the status of something that wasn't recognised as such at the time, the fact is this happened with the early modern Olympics and with first class and particularly test matches in cricket. The first 'Ashes' were nothing of the sort, nor even billed as test matches at the time AFAIK.

[27 years on]

On 2/6/2024 at 5:44 PM, 1 valve said:

Conversely they would see little relevance in saying one of their contestants use to ride for a speedway clubs junior team. 

And one that went out in the second week after a baking task.

Sums up speedway somehow... 

[Grosskreutz + the Golden Helmet Controversy]

12 hours ago, iris123 said:

In 1928, Max moved to Brisbane where, as a 22 year old, he won the Australian Title at Davies Park (becoming the first official Australian Champion). Thus began a meteoric rise to fame and he became the greatest idol the Brisbane speedway-going public had ever had, known to fans as “The Northern Flash”.

I lived for a while near Davies Park - which still exists as a Rugby League ground. I had no idea that it had staged speedway. 

[RYE HOUSE]

On 2/3/2024 at 4:14 AM, Chris said:

A nice picture of the kart track with a negative headline won't do any harm

Not sure what the kart track has to do with the speedway stadium - different stadiums with different leaseholders aren't they?

Was racing at the kart track last year so was able to take a look at the speedway track. The stadium itself still seems to be quite good condition, but the track seems to have been buried under tons of soil that has been dumped there. It's possible it may be relatively intact underneath if it were all dug out - difficult to tell.  

[BBC The Apprentice]

15 hours ago, Deano said:

I know one of the former contestants from many many years ago. She did tell me that some scenarios edited together, were from different days. Someone behind camera wound her up to get an angry expression, this was edited into another scene to get the impression she had a dislike for some ones idea. The woman I know in real life is completely different to the edited one on this programme.

That's the fakeness of television for you.

I think it's clear from the 'You're Fired' show that most of them are nothing like the caricatures they're put up to be, and they have to play up to certain expectations to have a chance of getting on the show. Of course, a few do have over-inflated opinions of their ability, but I suspect a fair bit of scripting goes on, plus the pressure of time rarely shows any of them in the best light. 

Although I still watch it, the Apprentice has long since descended into reality entertainment rather than any serious attempt to find a business partner, if it ever was that in the first place.  

[Brian Griffin - RIP]

Yes, had a few chats in the old email forums. Sad news.

[SGP venues for 2024]

53 minutes ago, iris123 said:

Just jumped to the conclusion that when they announced these new sprints, they would of course be something different. I never in my life thought it was just the same old 4 laps under a new name. I was thinking more of the one lap dash/flying lap that they used to have as a filler. Although quite by coincdence i think the only few i saw were at Stralsund and a certain Mr Morris was the fastest 

Ah yes, the old 'bahnrekord' or whatever it was called... 

[SGP venues for 2024]

On 1/26/2024 at 8:30 PM, iris123 said:

Speedway isn't about sprints. Never was. 

Well, it actually always was about sprints - namely a given number of very short races that form a meeting.  

What it's never been about is endurance races (apart from occasional 16-lap gimmicks) or timed qualifying. 

 

[SGP Sprint]

21 hours ago, iris123 said:

I didn't realise this until you posted, but even worse than i thought. Nothing revolutionary, as they try to state. 4 riders on track at the same time doing a sprint over 4 laps. Which if i am correct, and my memory not failing me, as it has been a few years since i attended a meeting now, is what used to be called in the old days a heat. The fastest rider wins, just like in the old heats.....

It's all a bit silly isn't it? The SGP already ran sprint races - 23 of them in fact.  

This is quite aside from the fact that track conditions are going to change between qualifying sessions, so the session you're drawn in is going to influence the selection order for those that don't qualify for the 'sprint race'. Regardless of what's being claimed, it's not going to be the same for everyone.

 Then there's the 'sprint race' itself. What happens if those four riders wipe each other out before the GP starts?

In MotoGP you've got far more riders in a race and you can't get them all on the front grid, so timed qualifying is one of the fairer approaches to lining them up, especially as you can put all the riders in one session where the conditions will be the same for everyone. Speedway - for precisely the reasons it takes place on a much smaller track and only has a small number of riders in each race as a result, has evolved a multi-race all-out sprint format. 

If you really wanted to add some interest to practice, add some extra wildcards and have them race-off for a couple of places in the GP proper. 

[Australia]

10 hours ago, racers and royals said:

Round 1 result A final

1st Fricke

2nd Tungate

3rd Lidsey

4th Pickering

scores

Tungate 16

Fricke 15

Lidsey 15

Pickering 12

C Holder 10

J Holder 10

Douglas 8

Kurtz 8

I went and thought it was pretty good meeting. Track looked decently prepared and they got through 44 heats (including support) in under 3.5 hours even with grading.

Not sure what expectations are these days at the Australian Championships, but seemed to be a fair crowd there.

Sam Ermolenko and David Tapp on commentary, although David Tapp kept committing the cardinal sin of yabbering on rather than giving us the race results... 

[Winter Meetings]

On 12/18/2023 at 10:12 PM, iainb said:

I used to enjoy them, I think Sheffield put one on once too. 

They did. The Winternapolis I think it was called.

I went and still have the programme somewhere, although the racing wasn't the best from memory. I think the track was quite damp and a lot of straw had been used to try to soak up the water and make it rideable. 

[Promoters Conference]

On 11/14/2023 at 2:12 PM, arnieg said:

Classic dead cat on the table tactic. Got us all talking about Tenerife rather than the much larger failings of the BSPL.

Who indeed cares where they hold their corporate jolly at their own expense?

The formal business side of things probably more efficiently be held in a conference room somewhere in the Midlands, but a lot of the actual dealings get done in the bar at these sorts of things. 

[Sport related Manslaughter charge]

6 hours ago, iainb said:

There's always been a bit of a debate of where the law starts and finishes in a sporting arena.

Don't think there should be any debate. If you deliberately set-out to injure someone, whether the street or a sports arena, you should be subject to the full force of the law. 

Of course there have to be some exceptions like boxing and some martial arts where that's the point of the sport, and of course there's some sports with grey areas like ice hockey where thinly disguised violence is part of the game. But perhaps it's time for ice hockey to reconsider what sort of sport it wants to be. 

[Sport related Manslaughter charge]

9 hours ago, Diamonds85 said:

Although Matt Petgrave is a very dirty player and has been the leagues villain since he joined Sheffield, I wouldn't say that he ever got on the ice with the intentions of killing another player. Yes, he is a very rough player, delivering a lot of dirty hits and racking up the most penalty minutes in the league. I've said everytime I visit Sheffield, it's only a matter or time before he gets a big suspension or seriously hurts someone.

Although watching the incident, he does wave his legs in the air, which is of itself is very dangerous, I don't believe he ever had the intentions to do what he did... Although I do realise that's not going to stop him being charged if the case goes down that path...

That's why he's been charged with manslaughter rather than murder. I haven't seen the video so not going to make any judgment on the case, but if the intention is to intentionally injure someone and they die as a result, then that is manslaughter. 

[The Crooked House Pub]

2 hours ago, uk_martin said:

It's one thing suspecting or "knowing" that these fires are "insurance jobs" but it's quite another to prove it.

And of course where arson is proved, it's always 'kids' who've broken in to burn the place down... 

[UK Speedway in Turmoil?]

19 hours ago, truthsayer said:

20 heats in two hours is still only one race every six minutes.

It needs to be better than that to capture the imagination of a trackside audience.

I was even including an interval in the 2 hours! You could run 20 heats in 1.5 hours if the will was there.

[UK Speedway in Turmoil?]

1 hour ago, bruno said:

Maybe league meetings should be 4 teams in a meeting with 5 riders over 16 heats. 20 would be better but most tracks would take 3 hours. Needs less riders so possibly do away with guests. Might seem radical but something needs doing. After more or less a lifetime of following the sport I'm thinking I'm on my final stretch with it now. 

Running 4TTs would mean promoters would only have income from 1 home meeting in 4, there would be more riders to pay, and as you say more heats.

No matter how many riders you have in a team, someone will get injured and you'll still have to replace them somehow, except that one rider will now represent 25% of your lineup rather than 14% of it, so the relatively impact will be greater on your team.

On another note, if speedway can't run 20 heats in under 2 hours, turn it really sums up what's wrong with the sport.

[UK Speedway in Turmoil?]

17 hours ago, E I Addio said:

One thing that comes over in Len Silvers book is how many of the promoters are back stabbers. According to Len, when he was England or GB manager there was a lot a jealousy among those who thought they should have the job. That was purely Lens view of course but the way he openly describes it has the ring of truth to my mind, especially as it seems to have been borne out by events down the years

Of course there's a conundrum in that promoters want - indeed need - their own tracks to be successful, but at the same time there's a need for the sport as whole to make as many teams as possible competitive whilst keeping down cost.. Anything run along such lines is invariably going involves squabbles and unholy compromises. 

[UK Speedway in Turmoil?]

8 hours ago, iris123 said:

In one of Briggo's book back in the 70s he said speedway needs an all weather surface. I just guess there is nothing suitable. Tarmac or concrete etc would either be dangerous or change the sport into a road racing or possibly the Japanese modification of dirt track speedway

I'm sure with a bit of materials research it should be possible to come up with a more rain resistant surface. After all, didn't we hear that the GP shale stored in a scientifically designed pyramid shape? LOL

However, there's far more money in cricket and despite advances in drainage and super soppers, rain still stops play. 

I still think the best solution would be to built some sort of cantilevered canopy over the track. Could be a partial roof like you get over Dutch speed skating circuits, or some lightweight tent sort of structure.